Shoe with a device for preventing and treating flat-footedness



June 11, 1940. H. GANZER" 2,204,410

SHOE WITH A DEVICE FOR PREVENTING AND TREATiNG FLAT-FOOTEDNESS 7 Filed April 10; 1939 enw ayo f g I M; 5. WW

Patented June 11,1940

UNITED} STATES s-rro WITH A DEVICE FOR PR VENTING AND TREATING FLATaFooTEnNEss Hugo Ganzer, Berlin, Germany Application April 10, 1939, Serial-No. 267,027

In Germany April 7,1938

'2" Claims. (Cl. 216-971,),

The invention relates to a shoe having a device built into it-,- or which alternatively may be built into it, for the treatment of fallen arches, flat of the invention is to provide, by means of a simply adjustable device, a supporting surface sloping backwards and outwards beneath the tarsus of the foot. according to the invention, an adjusting device running-diagonally forwardgand inward from the back outer wall of the heel,- which device operates a similarly directed support element which raises the inner sole at a point near the inner side of the shoe under the tarsus, in such a manner that the inner sole slopes outward and backward.

Theangleof this slope may be adjusted as desired. The support element operated by the adjusting device is preferably resilient. The construction of the adjustment device built into the heel and of thesupport elementacting on the inner sole may vary in detail, but

it is important that the adjustable support element should act upon the inner sole or some similar lining in such a manner that a supporting surface, which is preferably resilient, and which slopes backward and outward, is formed under the tarsus.

The adjustment device may consist according to the present invention,of a'preferably angular barrel let into the heel, in which barrel is disposed a screw, the end ofwhich engages with the supporting element which raises the inner sole, while the head of the screw is accessible from outside and may be covered over by a plug lying flush with the side surface of the heel. The support element may take the form of a movably disposed angular lever, the short arm of which engages with the adjusting screw, while the long and preferably flexible arm itself forms the suplO port element. According to another form of construction, the support element may take the form of a curved rod, which slides in a corre-,

spondingly curved extension of the barrel containing the adjusting screw. A spiral spring is disposed between the adjusting screw and the support element.

According to the invention only the back part of the outer edge of the inner. sole is fixed to the spring element',-so thatthe front part of the sole i0 which is preferably cut away under the ball of the foot may slide backward as the arch of the foot is raised. Cutting away of the inner sole under the ball of the foot in conjunction with the support element under thetarsus results in the 5 ball of the foot being directed inwards. and lowfootedness or malformation of the feet. The aim There is provided for this purpose,

' section.

and consequently against 'the tarsus.

eredon the'inner side (pronation) while the heel is simultaneously raised "on, the inner side and turned outwards (supination) I The'drawing shows two constructional forms of the invention. 5 .Fig urefl shows the rear half of the-left shoe seen from below, with a' horizontal section of the heel. Figure 2 is a vertical section along theline A--B in Figure 1. a i 1.0

Figure 3 is the inner side of the rear half of the left shoe, the upperfbeing partly in section. Figure 4 is the general view of a whole shoe similar to that in Figure 3, the upper being partly in 15 Figure 5 is similar to Figure 2 but shows a s'up-' porting element of diiferent design. A preferably angular barrel is built into the heel at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the shoe and this barrel carries'within it an adjust- 20 ing screw 3, the head of which may be turned. from outside by-means of a screw driver, but" which'is as a rule covered over by a closing piece 4 which lies flush with the side surface of the heel. An angular lever is movably disposed on a 5 spindle 6 which is fixedly disposed inthe heel. The short vertical arm '1- of this lever engages with the end of the adjustment screw 3, while the long arm 5 extends under the inner sole Sand ends .in a wide part acting as a support plate 8. 30,

By turning the screw 3, the support plate 8 can be adjusted as regards height and the angle of the backward and outward slope of the support. surface formed by the inner sole 9 under the tarsus changes accordingly. -35

The inner sole 9 is secured by means of rivets I Ii near its outer edge, and preferably only at the back, to the actual shoe sole I I, so that the front part of the sole can slide backwards when the arch of the foot is raised. The frontv end I3 of 40 the inner sole 9 is cut away under-the ball of the which slides-in a correspondingly curved exten-- sion I3 of the barrel 2 containing the setting screw 3. A spiralspring I4 is disposed between the setting screw 3 and the rod I 5, while the projecting end of the rod carries a support plate I6 which presses resiliently against the inner sole The strength of this resilient pressure may be adjusted'by means of the screw 3.

I claim:

1. A shoe for preventing and treating fiat 5 footedness comprising a heel, an adjustable device running diagonally forwards and inwards from the back outer surface of the heel, a supporting .element also directed diagonally forwards and inwards operated by said adjusting device, and an insole on the inside of the shoe under the tarsus of the foot, raised by said supporting device in such a manner that the insole slopes outwards and backwards.

2. A shoe for preventing and treating flat footedness comprising a heel, an adjustment device running diagonally forwards and inwards from the back outer surface of the heel, a flexible supporting element also directed diagonally forwards and inwards operated by said adjusting device, and an insole on the inside of the shoe under the tarsus of the foot, raised by said supporting device in such a manner that the insole slopes outwards and backwards.

3. A shoe for preventing and treating flat footedness comprising a heel, a barrel let into said heel at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the foot, a screw in said barrel, a supporting element directed diagonally forwards and inwards operated by said screw and an insole on the inside of the shoe under the tarsus of the foot, raised by said supporting device in such a manner that the insole slopes outwards and backwards.

4. A shoe for preventing andtreating fiat footedness comprising a heel, a barrel let into said heel at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the foot, a screw in said barrel, a movably disposed angular lever directed diagonally forwards and inwards, the short arm of which bears against said screw and an insole on the inside of the shoe under the tarsus of the foot, raised by the long arm of said lever in such a manner that the insole slopes outwards and backwards.

5. A shoe for preventing and treating flat footedness comprising a heel, a barrel let into said heel at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the foot, a screw in said barrel, a curved extension to said barrel, a curved rod in said extension bearing against said screw, and an insole on the inside of the shoe under the tarsus of the foot, supported by said curved rod, in such a manner that the insole slopes outwards and backwards.

6. A shoe for preventing and treating flat footedness comprising a heel, a barrel let into said heel at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the foot, a screw in said barrel, a curved extension to said barrel, a spiral spring in said barrel, a curved rod in said extension bearing against said spring and an insole on the inside of the shoe under the tarsus of the foot, supported by said curved rod in such a manner that the insole slopes outwards and backwards.

7. A shoe for preventing and treating fiat footedness comprising a heel, an adjustment device running diagonally forwards and inwards from the back outer surface of the heel, a supporting element also directed diagonally forwards and inwards operated by said adjusting device, and an insole on the inside of the shoe under the tarsus of the foot, fastened only at the outer edge and the back and cut away under the ball of the foot, so as to be able to contract when the arch of the foot is raised, said insole being raised by said supporting device in such a manner that the insole slopes outwards and backwards.

HUGO GANZER. 

